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Zheng X, Li W, Li R, Yang M, Lin HC. Exposure to user-generated e-cigarette content on social media associated with greater vulnerability to e-cigarette use among youth non-users. Addict Behav 2024; 156:108061. [PMID: 38744213 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Social media are important venues for youth's exposure to e-cigarette content. This study examined how exposure to user-generated e-cigarette content (i.e., content created and shared by individual social media users) is associated with vulnerabilities to e-cigarette use among youth non-users. METHODS We pooled data from the 2021 and 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Youth who have never used e-cigarettes were included. Weighted linear and logistic regressions were conducted to examine how exposure to user-generated e-cigarette content (from real-life friends, online-only friends, and celebrities/influencers) on social media was associated with e-cigarette use vulnerabilities measured by perceived norms, perceived risk, and susceptibility of use, controlling for demographics, advertising exposure, and mental health conditions. Multiple imputations were performed to account for missing data. RESULTS Exposure to e-cigarette content on social media posted by real-life friends, online-only friends, and celebrities/influencers were associated with more positive descriptive norm (βs = 1.56, 0.37, and 0.35, respectively, all ps < .001), more positive injunctive norm (βs = 0.46, 0.19, and 0.10, respectively, all ps < .001), and higher odds of e-cigarette use susceptibility (ORs = 1.48, 1.50. 1.29, respectively, all ps < .001). Exposure to content posted by real-life and online-only friends were associated with reduced risk perception of e-cigarette use (β = -0.04, p < 0.05 and β = -0.07, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our study highlighted that friends and celebrities/influencers are important sources on social media that can influence youth non-users' vulnerabilities to e-cigarette use. Interventional messages communicated through friends and influencers on social media may in turn help reduce e-cigarette vulnerability among youth non-users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Zheng
- School of Communication and Journalism, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; The Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
| | - Wenbo Li
- School of Communication and Journalism, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; The Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Ruobing Li
- School of Communication and Journalism, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; The Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Meng Yang
- Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Hsien-Chang Lin
- Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
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Kong G, Lee J, Ouellette RR, Morean ME. Modification of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Among Adolescents and Young Adults. Pediatrics 2024; 154:e2023063984. [PMID: 38881359 PMCID: PMC11211691 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2023-063984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We assessed awareness and perceptions of, information sources about, and engagement in modifying electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among adolescents and young adults (AYAs). METHODS AYAs (N = 1018) endorsing past-month ENDS use completed a survey on awareness and use of the following modifications: (1) refilling rechargeable cartridges/pods or (2) disposable pods, (3) rewicking or (4) recharging disposable pods, (5) modifying nicotine e-liquids (eg, changing propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin, nicotine), (6) combining nicotine and cannabis for simultaneous vaping, and (7) putting cannabis in ENDS designed for nicotine vaping. Logistic regression assessed how sources of information (eg, friends, social media, nonsocial media Web sites, vape shops) about and perceptions of ENDS modifications associated with ENDS modifications. RESULTS Refilling (69.0% heard, 40.1% tried) and recharging the battery (66.4% heard, 35.8% tried) of disposable pods were most common. Friends (64.4%) and social media (46.7%) were the most common sources of information. Notable significant associations between information sources and modifications were: 1. nonsocial media Web sites and vape shops with rewicking and recharging disposable devices and modifying nicotine e-liquid; 2. nonsocial media Web sites with refilling rechargeable cartridges/pods and disposable pods; and 3. social media with recharging disposable devices and mixing nicotine and cannabis liquids. Perceptions of reduced harm and "coolness" were associated with various modifications. DISCUSSION AYAs are aware of and modify ENDS for purposes unintended by manufacturers. ENDS policies should consider unintended ENDS use to safeguard public health. Prevention efforts should communicate about the potential harms of ENDS modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Juhan Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Meghan E. Morean
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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Bold KW, Kong G, O'Malley SS. The Scientific Basis for the Regulation of Flavors in Tobacco Products. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2024; 20:381-406. [PMID: 38346292 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-080921-075624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Effective tobacco policies are important for reducing the harm of tobacco use and can have a broad impact at the population level. This review provides an overview of how clinical science can inform tobacco policies with a focus on policies related to flavored tobacco products, using menthol cigarettes as an illustrative example. Specifically, this review summarizes the role of flavors in tobacco use and the history of regulation of flavored tobacco products by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), provides an overview of clinical research methods used to contribute to the scientific evidence to inform FDA tobacco policies, discusses key findings related to menthol tobacco products using these methods, and proposes future directions for clinical research. As the tobacco marketplace continues to evolve with new products and flavor chemicals, ongoing clinical science will be essential for establishing evidence-based policies to protect public health and reduce tobacco-related health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krysten W Bold
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Grace Kong
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
| | - Stephanie S O'Malley
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
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Ranker LR, Wu J, Hong T, Wijaya D, Benjamin EJ, Bhatnagar A, Robertson RM, Fetterman JL, Xuan Z. Social media use, brand engagement, and tobacco product initiation among youth: Evidence from a prospective cohort study. Addict Behav 2024; 154:108000. [PMID: 38461745 PMCID: PMC11135121 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether frequent social media use and liking/following tobacco brand accounts was associated with increased risk of tobacco and polytobacco initiation over approximately 1-year follow-up among youth with no prior tobacco use. METHODS Associations between measures of social media engagement (daily social media use and liking/following tobacco brands) and tobacco initiation risk were examined using data from Waves 2 and 3 (2014-2015) of the US Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health study. Separate log-binomial models, accounting for missing data via multiple imputation and using propensity score adjustment to address confounding, estimated the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of any tobacco initiation and poly-use (2 + products) initiation at 1-year follow-up. RESULTS Among the 8,672 youth with no prior tobacco use (49.3% female, mean [SD] age 14.1 [1.7]), 63.5% used social media at least daily, and 3.3% reported liking/following ≥ 1 tobacco brands on social media. Those reporting daily or more frequent social media use (compared to less) were at increased risk for tobacco (aRR 1.67; 95% CI 1.38-2.02) and polytobacco initiation (aRR 1.32; 95% CI 0.98-1.78). Although results were imprecise, liking/following ≥ 1 tobacco brands on social media (versus none) was associated with tobacco (aRR 1.34; 95% CI 0.95-1.89) or polytobacco initiation (aRR 1.60; 95% CI 0.99-2.60). In sensitivity analyses, liking/following cigarette or cigarillo brands was associated with polytobacco initiation. CONCLUSIONS This study adds to a growing evidence-base describing the exposure of youth to tobacco-related social media content. Such content-often generated by tobacco companies-may contribute to youth tobacco initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynsie R Ranker
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Crosstown Center, 4th floor, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Jiaxi Wu
- College of Communication, Boston University, 640 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut St, PA 19104, Philadelphia
| | - Traci Hong
- College of Communication, Boston University, 640 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Derry Wijaya
- Department of Computer Science, Boston University, 111 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Emelia J Benjamin
- Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 725 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, 4th floor, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Aruni Bhatnagar
- Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, 302 E Muhammad Ali Boulevard, KY 40202, Louisville; American Heart Association Tobacco Regulation and Addiction Center, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231, USA
| | - Rose M Robertson
- American Heart Association Tobacco Regulation and Addiction Center, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231, USA; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, 1161 21st Ave. S., Nashville 37232, TN, USA
| | - Jessica L Fetterman
- Evans Department of Medicine and Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 700 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Ziming Xuan
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Crosstown Center, 4th floor, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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Parinyarux P, Ditsawanon P, Chanwuthinun A, Umnuaypornlert A, Saokaew S, Tajai P. Perception and the influence of information toward e-cigarette smoking behavior. Tob Induc Dis 2024; 22:TID-22-115. [PMID: 38903855 PMCID: PMC11188051 DOI: 10.18332/tid/189396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Perceptions, personal perspectives, and public awareness of e-cigarette information have a significant impact on e-cigarette smoking behavior, and provide comprehensive information that can help reduce interest in e-cigarette smoking and reduce the number of new smokers. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions towards e-cigarettes related to e-cigarette use and how that information related to people's use of them. METHODS The data for this cross-sectional study were collected via an online questionnaire. Thai nationals who were aged ≥18 years provided data between June 2021 and January 2022. Multivariable logistic regression and the chi-squared test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS There were 340 respondents, 76 e-cigarette users, and 264 non-e-cigarette users. Most of the perceptions of information that differed statistically significantly between e-cigarette users and non-e-cigarette users included information on regulations, products, health effects, and the effectiveness of smoking cessation. The association between factors and e-cigarette smoking behavior revealed that the perception of the product information and male gender were associated with e-cigarette smoking behavior (AOR=13.59; 95% CI: 2.35-78.60, and AOR=5.19; 95% CI: 2.87-9.40, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The perception of e-cigarette product information and male gender were associated with e-cigarette smoking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pantira Parinyarux
- Social and Administrative Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | | | - Surasak Saokaew
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
| | - Preechaya Tajai
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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Zhang L, Ao SH, Zhao X. A four-year longitudinal analysis examining the effects of e-cigarette advertisements and disparities among youth with internalizing problems. Addict Behav 2024; 153:108002. [PMID: 38430643 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior research indicates a direct, short-term effect of e-cigarette advertising on e-cigarette use among youth. This study seeks to investigate the long-term effects of e-cigarette advertisements and disparities in exposure among adolescents with different levels of internalizing problems. METHODS Panel data of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Waves 3-5 (2015-2019) were analyzed. Youth aged 12-17 who were non-e-cigarette users at the time of Wave 3 were included (n = 4,678). A moderated mediation model was employed to examine the mediating role of perceived harm of e-cigarettes and the moderating effect of internalizing problems. RESULTS Exposure to e-cigarette advertisements in Wave 3 predicted lower harm perception of e-cigarette in Wave 4 (bp = -0.055, p <.01), leading to more e-cigarette use in Wave 5 (bp = -0.042, p <.001). While e-cigarette advertisements exhibited a lasting indirect effect (bp = 0.002, p <.05), there was no long-term direct effect (bp = 0.017, p >.05) on youth e-cigarette use. Furthermore, a moderating effect of internalizing problems was observed (bp = 0.107, p <.05). CONCLUSIONS E-cigarette advertisements can exert a lasting influence indirectly by diminishing harm perception, particularly among those with lower internalizing problems. Adolescents with higher internalizing problems exhibit lower susceptibility to advertisement influence, yet their perceived harm of e-cigarettes is notably lower than their peers with fewer internalizing problems. These disparities underscore the need for tailored prevention strategies: implementing anti-e-cigarette education programs for adolescents with low internalizing problems and providing mental health care for those facing internalizing challenges. Regulatory measures targeting e-cigarette advertising are also crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luxi Zhang
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Song Harris Ao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Xinshu Zhao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau.
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7
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Zhang L, Qiu SS, Ao SH, Zhao X. Association between health-related social media use and E-cigarette use among current cigarette users: the roles of anti-tobacco messages and harm perception. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1278. [PMID: 38730280 PMCID: PMC11084065 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18756-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The popularity of e-cigarettes is on the rise among current cigarette users. Therefore, there are concerns about their health implications. This study examined the impact of health-related social media use on e-cigarette use among current cigarette users. It assesses the mediating influence of online anti-tobacco messages and the moderating role of the harm perception of e-cigarettes. METHODS This study was focused on 563 current cigarette users from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Three tasks were performed: (1) assessing the direct and indirect impacts of health-related social media use on e-cigarette use among current cigarette users, (2) exploring the mediating role of exposure to online anti-tobacco messages, and (3) examining the moderating influence of e-cigarette harm perception on the path from anti-tobacco messages to e-cigarette use. RESULTS Health-related social media use was positively associated with current cigarette users' e-cigarette use directly (bp = 0.183, p < .01) and indirectly through exposure to online anti-tobacco messages (bp = 0.023, 95% CI: [0.001, 0.051]). Harm perception of e-cigarettes moderated the relationship between online exposure to anti-tobacco messages and e-cigarette use (bp=-0.467, p < .01). The relationship appeared weaker for individuals who perceived greater harm from e-cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS Health-related social media use positively correlates with e-cigarette use among current cigarette users through exposure to online anti-tobacco messages. The perceived harm of e-cigarettes moderates this indirect path. These findings have implications for public health interventions aimed at smoking cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luxi Zhang
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Sha Sarah Qiu
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Song Harris Ao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Xinshu Zhao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau, China.
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Vassey J, Kennedy CJ, Herbert Chang HC, Smith AS, Unger JB. Scalable Surveillance of E-Cigarette Products on Instagram and TikTok Using Computer Vision. Nicotine Tob Res 2024; 26:552-560. [PMID: 37947283 PMCID: PMC11033573 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntad224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Instagram and TikTok, video-based social media platforms popular among adolescents, contain tobacco-related content despite the platforms' policies prohibiting substance-related posts. Prior research identified themes in e-cigarette-related social media posts using qualitative or text-based machine learning methods. We developed an image-based computer vision model to identify e-cigarette products in social media images and videos. AIMS AND METHODS We created a data set of 6999 Instagram images labeled for 8 object classes: mod or pod devices, e-juice containers, packaging boxes, nicotine warning labels, e-juice flavors, e-cigarette brand names, and smoke clouds. We trained a DyHead object detection model using a Swin-Large backbone, evaluated the model's performance on 20 Instagram and TikTok videos, and applied the model to 14 072 e-cigarette-related promotional TikTok videos (2019-2022; 10 276 485 frames). RESULTS The model achieved the following mean average precision scores on the image test set: e-juice container: 0.89; pod device: 0.67; mod device: 0.54; packaging box: 0.84; nicotine warning label: 0.86; e-cigarette brand name: 0.71; e-juice flavor name: 0.89; and smoke cloud: 0.46. The prevalence of pod devices in promotional TikTok videos increased by 15% from 2019 to 2022. The prevalence of e-juices increased by 33% from 2021 to 2022. The prevalence of e-juice flavor names and e-cigarette brand names increased by about 100% from 2019 to 2022. CONCLUSIONS Deep learning-based object detection technology enables automated analysis of visual posts on social media. Our computer vision model can detect the presence of e-cigarettes products in images and videos, providing valuable surveillance data for tobacco regulatory science (TRS). IMPLICATIONS Prior research identified themes in e-cigarette-related social media posts using qualitative or text-based machine learning methods. We developed an image-based computer vision model to identify e-cigarette products in social media images and videos. We trained a DyHead object detection model using a Swin-Large backbone, evaluated the model's performance on 20 Instagram and TikTok videos featuring at least two e-cigarette objects, and applied the model to 14 072 e-cigarette-related promotional TikTok videos (2019-2022; 10 276 485 frames). The deep learning model can be used for automated, scalable surveillance of image- and video-based e-cigarette-related promotional content on social media, providing valuable data for TRS. Social media platforms could use computer vision to identify tobacco-related imagery and remove it promptly, which could reduce adolescents' exposure to tobacco content online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Vassey
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chris J Kennedy
- Center for Precision Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ho-Chun Herbert Chang
- Department of Quantitative Social Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
- Information Sciences Institute, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ashley S Smith
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer B Unger
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Zhou R, Xie Z, Tang Q, Li D. Social Network Analysis of e-Cigarette-Related Social Media Influencers on Twitter/X: Observational Study. JMIR Form Res 2024; 8:e53666. [PMID: 38557555 PMCID: PMC11019427 DOI: 10.2196/53666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An e-cigarette uses a battery to heat a liquid that generates an aerosol for consumers to inhale. e-Cigarette use (vaping) has been associated with respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive functions. Recently, vaping has become increasingly popular, especially among youth and young adults. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to understand the social networks of Twitter (now rebranded as X) influencers related to e-cigarettes through social network analysis. METHODS Through the Twitter streaming application programming interface, we identified 3,617,766 unique Twitter accounts posting e-cigarette-related tweets from May 3, 2021, to June 10, 2022. Among these, we identified 33 e-cigarette influencers. The followers of these influencers were grouped according to whether or not they post about e-cigarettes themselves; specifically, the former group was defined as having posted at least five e-cigarette-related tweets in the past year, whereas the latter group was defined as followers that had not posted any e-cigarette-related tweets in the past 3 years. We randomly sampled 100 user accounts among each group of e-cigarette influencer followers and created corresponding social networks for each e-cigarette influencer. We compared various network measures (eg, clustering coefficient) between the networks of the two follower groups. RESULTS Major topics from e-cigarette-related tweets posted by the 33 e-cigarette influencers included advocating against vaping policy (48.0%), vaping as a method to quit smoking (28.0%), and vaping product promotion (24.0%). The follower networks of these 33 influencers showed more connections for those who also post about e-cigarettes than for followers who do not post about e-cigarettes, with significantly higher clustering coefficients for the former group (0.398 vs 0.098; P=.005). Further, networks of followers who post about e-cigarettes exhibited substantially more incoming and outgoing connections than those of followers who do not post about e-cigarettes, with significantly higher in-degree (0.273 vs 0.084; P=.02), closeness (0.452 vs 0.137; P=.04), betweenness (0.036 vs 0.008; P=.001), and out-of-degree (0.097 vs 0.014; P=.02) centrality values. The followers who post about e-cigarettes also had a significantly (P<.001) higher number of followers (n=322) than that of followers who do not post about e-cigarettes (n=201). The number of tweets in the networks of followers who post about e-cigarettes was significantly higher than that in the networks of followers who do not post about e-cigarettes (93 vs 43; P<.001). Two major topics discussed in the networks of followers who post about e-cigarettes included promoting e-cigarette products or vaping activity (55.7%) and vaping being a help for smoking cessation and harm reduction (44.3%). CONCLUSIONS Followers of e-cigarette influencers who also post about e-cigarettes have more closely connected networks than those of followers who do not themselves post about e-cigarettes. These findings provide a potentially practical intervention approach for future antivaping campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runtao Zhou
- Goergen Institute for Data Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Zidian Xie
- Department of Clinical and Translational Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Qihang Tang
- Goergen Institute for Data Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Dongmei Li
- Department of Clinical and Translational Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
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10
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Ng L, Ng XY, van der Eijk Y. Vaping in a heavily regulated setting: cross-sectional survey of e-cigarette use, perceptions and social media exposure. Tob Control 2024; 33:e11-e17. [PMID: 36813571 DOI: 10.1136/tc-2022-057805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Singapore has completely banned e-cigarettes and the government's cautious stance against vaping has been consistent. Despite this, vaping appears to have gained popularity in Singapore, especially among younger people. With the heavy marketing of vaping products on social media, it is possible that such marketing, due to its cross-border nature, is reaching younger Singaporeans and driving changes in vaping-related perceptions or behaviours. This study examines their exposure to vaping-related content on social media, and whether such exposure is associated with more positive perceptions of vaping or e-cigarette ever use. METHODS Analysis of cross-sectional survey data of 550 adult (age 21-40 years) Singaporeans recruited via convenience methods in May 2022, using descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multiple linear and logistic regression models. RESULTS 16.9% of participants reported they had ever used e-cigarettes. 18.5% of those who used social media recalled seeing vaping-related content on a social media platform in the past 6 months, mostly from influencers or friends, and on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and/or YouTube. Reporting exposure to such content was not associated with e-cigarette ever use. It was associated with having a more positive overall perception of vaping (β=1.47; 95% CI: 0.17 to 2.78), although no significant difference was observed when examining only health-related perceptions. CONCLUSION Even in a heavily regulated environment such as Singapore's, people appear to be exposed to vaping-related content on social media platforms and this exposure is, in turn, associated with more positive perceptions of vaping, but not e-cigarette ever use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Ng
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xian Yi Ng
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yvette van der Eijk
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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11
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Murthy D, Ouellette RR, Anand T, Radhakrishnan S, Mohan NC, Lee J, Kong G. Using Computer Vision to Detect E-cigarette Content in TikTok Videos. Nicotine Tob Res 2024; 26:S36-S42. [PMID: 38366342 PMCID: PMC10873490 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntad184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous research has identified abundant e-cigarette content on social media using primarily text-based approaches. However, frequently used social media platforms among youth, such as TikTok, contain primarily visual content, requiring the ability to detect e-cigarette-related content across large sets of videos and images. This study aims to use a computer vision technique to detect e-cigarette-related objects in TikTok videos. AIMS AND METHODS We searched 13 hashtags related to vaping on TikTok (eg, #vape) in November 2022 and obtained 826 still images extracted from a random selection of 254 posts. We annotated images for the presence of vaping devices, hands, and/or vapor clouds. We developed a YOLOv7-based computer vision model to detect these objects using 85% of extracted images (N = 705) for training and 15% (N = 121) for testing. RESULTS Our model's recall value was 0.77 for all three classes: vape devices, hands, and vapor. Our model correctly classified vape devices 92.9% of the time, with an average F1 score of 0.81. CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the importance of having accurate and efficient methods to identify e-cigarette content on popular video-based social media platforms like TikTok. Our findings indicate that automated computer vision methods can successfully detect a range of e-cigarette-related content, including devices and vapor clouds, across images from TikTok posts. These approaches can be used to guide research and regulatory efforts. IMPLICATIONS Object detection, a computer vision machine learning model, can accurately and efficiently identify e-cigarette content on a primarily visual-based social media platform by identifying the presence of vaping devices and evidence of e-cigarette use (eg, hands and vapor clouds). The methods used in this study can inform computational surveillance systems for detecting e-cigarette content on video- and image-based social media platforms to inform and enforce regulations of e-cigarette content on social media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhiraj Murthy
- Moody College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | - Tanvi Anand
- Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Srijith Radhakrishnan
- Department of Information and Communication Technology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Nikhil C Mohan
- Department of Information and Communication Technology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Juhan Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Grace Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Zheng X, Yang M, Li W, Lin HC. The mediating roles of mental health problems and racial differences in the linkage between social media use and E-cigarette use among American youth. Prev Med 2024; 179:107842. [PMID: 38169240 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Social media use is shown to be linked to youth's e-cigarette use. However, less is known about the underlying mechanisms. This study examined the mediating roles of internalizing and externalizing problems in the association between youth's social media use and e-cigarette use, and the racial differences in the mediation association. METHODS The study sample included 4913 U.S. youth from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study Waves 3-5 (2015-2019). Two weighted generalized structural equation models were conducted to examine the mediation pathways between youth's social media use (Wave 3) and past-30-day e-cigarette use (Wave 5) through internalizing and externalizing problems (Wave 4), respectively. Invariance tests were conducted to examine racial group differences. RESULTS Youth with high social media use frequency were more likely to use e-cigarettes (total effect: OR = 1.20, p < 0.001 in both internalizing and externalizing models). Internalizing and externalizing problems mediated the aforementioned associations (mediation proportions: 5.05% and 5.66%, respectively). The invariance tests indicated a significant difference between White and non-White groups (both ps < 0.001), where a larger proportion of mediation was found in the non-White group (12.22% for internalizing and 11.99% for externalizing) compared to their White counterparts (2.46% for internalizing and 3.17% for externalizing). CONCLUSIONS Mental health problems following social media use served as a risk factor for e-cigarette use among youth. Interventions aiming to improve youth's mental health could in turn temper e-cigarette use among youth social media users, and implementing tailored interventions in response to racial differences is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Zheng
- School of Communication and Journalism, Stony Brook University, NY, United States of America
| | - Meng Yang
- Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States of America
| | - Wenbo Li
- School of Communication and Journalism, Stony Brook University, NY, United States of America
| | - Hsien-Chang Lin
- Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States of America.
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13
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McCauley DM, Baiocchi M, Gaiha SM, Halpern-Felsher B. Sociodemographic differences in use of nicotine, cannabis, and non-nicotine E-cigarette devices. Drug Alcohol Depend 2024; 255:111061. [PMID: 38134543 PMCID: PMC10949227 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sociodemographic differences in e-cigarette use have been documented; however, disparities in use of specific e-cigarette types with various ingredients have yet to be thoroughly investigated. This study examines ever- and past-30-day-use of nicotine, cannabis, and non-nicotine e-cigarette device types by sex, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and financial comfort. METHODS Data were drawn from a 2021 national cross-sectional survey of adolescents, young adults, and adults (N = 6131, ages 13-40 years old). Participants reported ever and past-30-day-use of (1) disposable nicotine e-cigarettes, (2) pod/cartridge-based nicotine e-cigarettes, (3) "other" nicotine e-cigarettes, (4) non-nicotine e-cigarettes, (5) e-cigarettes with THC, and (6) e-cigarettes with CBD. We constructed summary tables for each e-cigarette device type in which percentages of ever and past-30-day-use were calculated by birth year category and sociodemographic variables: (a) sex, (b) sexual orientation, (c) race/ethnicity, and (d) financial comfort. RESULTS Females born between 1996 and 2008 reported higher rates of past-30-day disposable e-cigarette use relative to males (females 26.4%; males 22.4%). Compared to their heterosexual counterparts, LGBTQ+ participants reported higher overall rates of past-30-day-use for disposable (LGBTQ+ 27.9%; Heterosexual 23.8%), THC (LGBTQ+ 30.8%; Heterosexual 24.1%), and CBD e-cigarettes (LGBTQ+ 20.0%; Heterosexual 16.9%). Hispanic/Latino participants generally reported higher rates of past-30-day-use across device types relative to those identifying as Black or White non-Hispanic, particularly disposable nicotine e-cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight sociodemographic disparities in e-cigarette use, though differences varied based on e-cigarette device type and participant birth year category. Tailored preventive efforts may be necessary to mitigate e-cigarette use among populations at highest risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin Malloy McCauley
- REACH Lab, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, United States
| | - Michael Baiocchi
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, United States
| | - Shivani Mathur Gaiha
- REACH Lab, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, United States
| | - Bonnie Halpern-Felsher
- REACH Lab, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, United States.
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Zhang L, Harris Ao S, Francis Ye J, Zhao X. How does health communication on social media influence e-cigarette perception and use? A trend analysis from 2017 to 2020. Addict Behav 2024; 149:107875. [PMID: 37820562 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE E-cigarettes have achieved a high prevalence rapidly. While social media is among the most influential platforms for health communication, its impact on attitudes and behaviors of e-cigarettes and its changes over time remain underexplored. This study aims to address the gap. METHODS Four years of data (2017-2020) were derived from the U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) (aged 18-64 years, n = 9,914). Initially, key variables were compared across years. Furthermore, guided by the health belief model, we employed a moderated mediation model to examine the influence of social media health communication on the public's perceptions and behaviors related to e-cigarettes, distinguishing between smokers and non-smokers throughout the four-year period. RESULTS The evidence shows a process of dynamic interaction between communication, perception, and behavior. (1) We observed an increasing trend of social media health communication (SMH) and perceived relative harm of e-cigarettes (PHE). (2) Higher SMH was associated with more e-cigarette use directly in 2019. (3) Higher SMH was associated with less e-cigarette use indirectly through PHE in 2020. (4) Smokers consistently displayed heightened sensitivity in responding to harm perception compared to non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS The findings support two mechanisms underlying the association between SMH and e-cigarette use: direct and indirect. The changes in the pathways during the timespan may have been influenced by increased e-cigarette information on social media and public health events like COVID-19. Stricter regulations for unverified e-cigarette advertisements and anti-e-cigarette education on social media are called for to curtail e-cigarette use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luxi Zhang
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Song Harris Ao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Jizhou Francis Ye
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Xinshu Zhao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau.
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15
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Chacon L, Mitchell G, Golder S. The commercial promotion of electronic cigarettes on social media and its influence on positive perceptions of vaping and vaping behaviours in Anglophone countries: A scoping review. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002736. [PMID: 38232105 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
There is ongoing scientific and policy debate about the role e-cigarettes play in tobacco control, with concerns centring around unknown long-term effects, and the potential industry co-option of harm reduction efforts, including marketing to youths. There is substantial evidence of the influence of conventional cigarette promotion on smoking behaviours in Anglophone countries, and the popularity of social networking sites, as well as the lack of marketing regulations on the commercial promotion of electronic cigarettes online, suggest an urgent need to explore this topic further. This scoping review aims to map the existing evidence related to the influence of e-cigarette commercial promotion on social media on positive perceptions of vaping and vaping behaviours in core Anglophone countries. Searches were conducted in CENTRAL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), Embase, Epistemonikos, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Science Citation Index, on the 21st of July 2022. From 1,385 studies, 11 articles were included in the final review, using diverse study designs, including focus groups, content analysis, cross-sectional studies, and experiments. The studies were primarily based in the U.S. and evidenced the association between the commercial promotion of e-cigarettes on social media with positive perceptions of vaping and vaping behaviours, particularly among young people, addressing diverse themes including celebrities' sponsorship, e-liquid appeal (including flavours and nicotine levels), users' engagement with ads, and other marketing strategies. Further, social networking sites commercially promoting e-cigarettes might increase positive attitudes towards vaping and vaping behaviours, particularly among youths. Future research should be conducted in broader settings, incorporate larger and diverse sample sizes, ensure research transparency, cover multiple social networking sites, emphasize ecological validity, and foment longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Chacon
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, United Kingdom
| | - G Mitchell
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, United Kingdom
| | - S Golder
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, United Kingdom
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16
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Azagba S, Ebling T, Korkmaz A. Social media and e-cigarette use: The mediating role of mental health conditions. J Affect Disord 2024; 344:528-534. [PMID: 37852589 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, youth social media use, youth e-cigarette use, and youth mental health conditions have become major public health concerns. We examined the role of mental health condition indicators in the link between youth social media use and e-cigarette use. METHODS We used data from the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey (N = 23,445) to measure social media use by time spent, anxiety and depression symptoms by the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, and past-30-day e-cigarette use. We applied the potential outcomes framework to examine the relationship between social media use and e-cigarette use mediated by mental health condition indicators. RESULTS Mental health condition indicators mediated the relationship between social media use and e-cigarette use in a dose-response manner, with higher levels of social media use associated with higher odds of e-cigarette use. With mental health condition indicators as a mediator, those who used social media for 4+ hours/day or 3-4 h/day had significantly higher odds of e-cigarette use than those who used social media sometimes or never. In the sex-stratified analysis, we found that very often social media use was associated with higher odds of e-cigarette use for both males and females, compared to sometimes users (OR = 1.53, 95 % CI [1.18,1.96] for males; OR = 2.27, 95 % CI [1.76,2.92] for females). LIMITATIONS Anxiety and depression symptoms were self-reported. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that anxiety and depression symptoms mediate the relationship between social media and e-cigarette use among youth and support the growing concern that frequent social media use may negatively affect youth health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunday Azagba
- College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America.
| | - Todd Ebling
- College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Alperen Korkmaz
- College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
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17
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Kong G, Schott AS, Lee J, Dashtian H, Murthy D. Understanding e-cigarette content and promotion on YouTube through machine learning. Tob Control 2023; 32:739-746. [PMID: 35504690 PMCID: PMC9630169 DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-057243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION YouTube is a popular social media used by youth and has electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) content. We used machine learning to identify the content of e-cigarette videos, featured e-cigarette products, video uploaders, and marketing and sales of e-cigarette products. METHODS We identified e-cigarette content using 18 search terms (eg, e-cig) using fictitious youth viewer profiles and predicted four models using the metadata as the input to supervised machine learning: (1) video themes, (2) featured e-cigarette products, (3) channel type (ie, video uploaders) and (4) discount/sales. We assessed the association between engagement data and the four models. RESULTS 3830 English videos were included in the supervised machine learning. The most common video theme was 'product review' (48.9%), followed by 'instruction' (eg, 'how to' use/modify e-cigarettes; 17.3%); diverse e-cigarette products were featured; 'vape enthusiasts' most frequently posted e-cigarette videos (54.0%), followed by retailers (20.3%); 43.2% of videos had discount/sales of e-cigarettes; and the most common sales strategy was external links for purchasing (34.1%). 'Vape trick' was the least common theme but had the highest engagement (eg, >2 million views). 'Cannabis' (53.9%) and 'instruction' (49.9%) themes were more likely to have external links for purchasing (p<0.001). The four models achieved an F1 score (a measure of model accuracy) of up to 0.87. DISCUSSION Our findings indicate that on YouTube videos accessible to youth, a variety of e-cigarette products are featured through diverse videos themes, with discount/sales. The findings highlight the need to regulate the promotion of e-cigarettes on social media platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Kong
- Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Juhan Lee
- Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Hassan Dashtian
- The School of Journalism, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Dhiraj Murthy
- The School of Journalism, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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18
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Zhang L, Ao SH, Zhao X. Longitudinal relationship between social media and e-cigarette use among adolescents: the roles of internalizing problems and academic performance. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2133. [PMID: 37907896 PMCID: PMC10617229 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17059-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior research has investigated the influence of social media on e-cigarette use among adolescents, predominantly through the display of e-cigarette content and advertisements. However, the psychological mechanism underlying this relationship remains underexplored. This study aims to address the mediating effect of youths internalizing problems and elucidate the moderating effect of academic performance from a longitudinal perspective. METHODS Panel data from the Public Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Waves 3-5 (2015-2019) were utilized in this study. The sample consisted of 3,975 youths between the ages of 12 and 17 years old. A moderated mediation model was utilized for analyses. RESULTS Adolescents using social media more frequently in Wave 3 reported higher odds of internalizing problems in Wave 4 (bp = 0.061, p < .01), which led to more e-cigarette use in Wave 5 (bp = 0.029, p < .01). A negative moderating effect of academic performance was found in the association between internalizing problems and e-cigarette use (bp=-0.088, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS Frequent social media use among young individuals leads to an increase in e-cigarette use through enhanced internalizing problems. However, adolescents who perform well academically exhibit higher resistance to e-cigarette use. Based on our findings, we recommend that tailored anti-e-cigarette campaigns and mental health interventions be used to target frequent social media users and academically struggling adolescents to prevent adverse health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luxi Zhang
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Song Harris Ao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Xinshu Zhao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau, China.
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Pettigrew S, Santos JA, Pinho-Gomes AC, Li Y, Jones A. Exposure to e-cigarette advertising and young people's use of e-cigarettes: A four-country study. Tob Induc Dis 2023; 21:141. [PMID: 37881174 PMCID: PMC10594952 DOI: 10.18332/tid/172414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The World Health Organization recommends banning all forms of e-cigarette advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. The aims of the present study were to: 1) examine young people's exposure to e-cigarette advertising across a wide range of media in four diverse countries; and 2) identify any association between the number of different types of media exposures and e-cigarette use. METHODS A cross-sectional online survey was administered to approximately 1000 people aged 15-30 years in Australia, China, India, and the United Kingdom (n=4107). The survey assessed demographic characteristics, e-cigarette and tobacco use, numbers of friends and family members who vape, and exposure to multiple forms of e-cigarette advertising (e.g. television, radio, print, and various types of social media). Descriptive analyses were conducted on those who had heard of e-cigarettes (n=3095, significance threshold p<0.001) and a logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with e-cigarette ever use (significance threshold p<0.05). RESULTS The majority (85%) of respondents who had heard of e-cigarettes reported being exposed to e-cigarette advertising on at least one type of media, and the average number of types of media to which respondents were exposed was 5 (range: 0-17). The number of media types was significantly associated with ever use of e-cigarettes (OR=1.05; 95% CI: 1.02-1.08, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS Despite advertising restrictions in place in all four countries, large majorities of young people reported being exposed to e-cigarette advertising. Social media and advertising on/around vape shops and other retailers appear to be key exposure locations. Urgent attention is needed to address these forms of exposure given their apparent association with e-cigarette use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Pettigrew
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Joseph A. Santos
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ana-Catarina Pinho-Gomes
- The George Institute for Global Health, London, United Kingdom
- School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yuan Li
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- The George Institute for Global Health, Beijing, China
| | - Alexandra Jones
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Tashakkori NA, Park-Lee E, Roh EJ, Christensen CH. Multiple Tobacco Product Use Among Youth E-Cigarette Users: National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2020. J Adolesc Health 2023; 73:769-775. [PMID: 37410002 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Limited information exists on multiple tobacco product use, particularly among youth. This study assessed the prevalence of current youth use of e-cigarettes with other tobacco products and their associated characteristics using 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey data. METHODS Prevalence estimates were calculated for current e-cigarette users, by multiple tobacco product use status and product combination. Demographic characteristics, e-cigarette use behaviors, age at first combustible tobacco use, and tobacco dependence symptoms were compared between current users of both e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco (dual users) and current exclusive e-cigarette users. RESULTS In 2020, 61.1% of all current e-cigarette users reported exclusive e-cigarette use, and 38.9% used e-cigarettes with other tobacco products. Among those who used e-cigarettes with other tobacco products, 85.0% used combustible tobacco, with cigarettes being the most commonly used other tobacco product. Compared with current exclusive e-cigarette users, higher proportions of dual users reported the following: frequent e-cigarette use; obtaining e-cigarettes from gas stations, persons other than a family member/friend, vape shops, or the internet; and having any tobacco dependence symptoms. Among dual users, 31.2% reported first combustible product use after e-cigarette initiation, and 34.3% reported first combustible product use prior to e-cigarette initiation. DISCUSSION Approximately four in 10 youth current e-cigarette users reported using multiple tobacco products, with a majority using combustible tobacco. Frequent e-cigarette use and tobacco dependence symptoms were more prevalent among dual users of e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Tashakkori
- Office of Science, Center for Tobacco Products, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland.
| | - Eunice Park-Lee
- Office of Science, Center for Tobacco Products, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Esther J Roh
- Office of Science, Center for Tobacco Products, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Carol H Christensen
- Office of Science, Center for Tobacco Products, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
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Lee J, Krishnan-Sarin S, Kong G. Social Media Use and Subsequent E-Cigarette Susceptibility, Initiation, and Continued Use Among US Adolescents. Prev Chronic Dis 2023; 20:E78. [PMID: 37676857 PMCID: PMC10487785 DOI: 10.5888/pcd20.220415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Social media has a large amount of e-cigarette content. Little is known about the associations between social media use and a wide range of e-cigarette use behaviors, including susceptibility, initiation, and continued use. We analyzed national data on US adolescents to assess these associations. METHODS We used data on adolescents participating in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Wave 4 (2016-2018) and Wave 5 (2018-2019). We conducted 2 models: 1) a multinomial logistic regression on e-cigarette use susceptibility and use behaviors at Wave 5 by social media use at Wave 4 among adolescents who never used e-cigarettes at Wave 4 and 2) a binomial logistic regression on current e-cigarette use at Wave 5 by social media use at Wave 4 among adolescents who ever used e-cigarettes at Wave 4. RESULTS Among adolescents who never used e-cigarettes at Wave 4 (n = 7,872), daily social media use (vs never) was associated with a higher likelihood of being susceptible to e-cigarette use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] =1.46; 95% CI, 1.20-1.78), past e-cigarette use (aOR = 3.55; 95% CI, 2.49-5.06), and current e-cigarette use (aOR = 3.45; 95% CI, 2.38-5.02) at Wave 5. Among adolescents who ever used e-cigarettes at Wave 4 (n = 794), we found no significant association between social media use at Wave 4 and continued e-cigarette use at Wave 5. CONCLUSION Our study found that social media use is associated with subsequent susceptibility to e-cigarette use and initiation but not with continued use of e-cigarettes among US adolescents. These findings suggest that understanding and addressing the association between social media and e-cigarette use is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhan Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 34 Park St, S-206, New Haven, CT 06519
| | | | - Grace Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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Zheng X, Lin HC. How Does Online e-cigarette Advertisement Promote Youth's e-cigarettes Use? The Mediating Roles of Social Norm and Risk Perceptions. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2023; 38:1388-1394. [PMID: 34872415 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2021.2010350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The adoption of the internet, social media, and e-cigarettes are on the rise among U.S. youth. Uses of social media and online platforms increase the probability for youth to encounter e-cigarette advertisements. Departing from this line of reasoning, we examine the underlying mechanisms of how online e-cigarettes exposure promotes youth's e-cigarette use. Drawing on insights from the social construction of risk model, this study looks at how perceived social norms and risk perception mediate the link between online e-cigarette advertisement exposure and e-cigarette use. Youth aged 12-17 from the Public Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Waves 2-4 (2014-2018) were included (N = 6,067). Controlling for demographic and other known risk factors for e-cigarette use, respondents who had been exposed to online e-cigarette ads at Wave 2 perceived higher levels of positive social norms of e-cigarette use at Wave 3 (β = 0.13, p < .001) which was associated with lower e-cigarette risk perception at Wave 3 (β = -0.22, p < .001). Lower e-cigarette risk perception at Wave 3 resulted in a higher likelihood of e-cigarette use at Wave 4 (AOR = 0.51, p < .001). Online e-cigarettes ads exposure at Wave 2 predicted e-cigarette use at Wave 4 (AOR = 1.87, p < .001). The results indicate that norm perception associated with online e-cigarettes ads may twist youth's e-cigarette risk perception that is associated with subsequent usage. Interventions to curb youth's e-cigarette use can target social norms of e-cigarette use and restrict e-cigarette advertisement exposure to youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Zheng
- The Media School, Indiana University at Bloomington
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McCauley DM, Baiocchi M, Cruse S, Halpern-Felsher B. Effects of a Short School-based Vaping Prevention Program for High School Students. Prev Med Rep 2023; 33:102184. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
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Herbst RS, Hatsukami D, Acton D, Giuliani M, Moushey A, Phillips J, Sherwood S, Toll BA, Viswanath K, Warren NJH, Warren GW, Alberg AJ. Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems: An Updated Policy Statement From the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. J Clin Oncol 2022; 40:4144-4155. [PMID: 36287017 DOI: 10.1200/jco.22.01749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Combustible tobacco use has reached historic lows, demonstrating the importance of proven strategies to reduce smoking since publication of the 1964 Surgeon General's report. In contrast, the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), specifically e-cigarettes, has grown to alarming rates and threatens to hinder progress against tobacco use. A major concern is ENDS use by youth and adults who never previously used tobacco. While ENDS emit fewer carcinogens than combustible tobacco, preliminary evidence links ENDS use to DNA damage and inflammation, key steps in cancer development. Furthermore, high levels of nicotine can also increase addiction, raise blood pressure, interfere with brain development, and suppress the immune system. The magnitude of long-term health risks will remain unknown until longitudinal studies are completed. ENDS have been billed as a promising tool for combustible tobacco cessation, but further evidence is needed to assess their potential efficacy for adults who smoke. Of concern, epidemiological studies estimate that approximately 15%-42% of adults who use ENDS have never used another tobacco product, and another 36%-54% dual use both ENDS and combustible tobacco. This policy statement details advances in science related to ENDS and calls for urgent action to end predatory practices of the tobacco industry and protect public health. Importantly, we call for an immediate ban on all non-tobacco-flavored ENDS products that contain natural or synthetic nicotine to reduce ENDS use by youth and adults who never previously used tobacco. Concurrently, evidence-based treatments to promote smoking cessation and prevent smoking relapse to reduce cancer incidence and improve public health remain top priorities for our organizations. We also recognize there is an urgent need for research to understand the relationship between ENDS and tobacco-related disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy S Herbst
- Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | | | - Dana Acton
- American Association for Cancer Research, Washington, DC
| | | | - Allyn Moushey
- American Society of Clinical Oncology, Alexandria, VA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anthony J Alberg
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
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Fleary SA. The relationship between health literacy and correlates of adolescents' obesogenic and substance use behaviors. J Pediatr Nurs 2022; 70:e40-e47. [PMID: 36509621 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2022.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Risk perception (RP) and self-efficacy are targeted in adolescent health behavior interventions, however these variables have not been explored in relation to health literacy (HL). HL may affect how adolescents assess, prioritize, and integrate information when forming RP and self-efficacy and, ultimately, their health behaviors. This study assessed the relationship between functional, interactive, and critical HL and adolescents' behavior-specific RP and self-efficacy and health behaviors. DESIGN AND METHODS Cross-sectional data were collected from 380 adolescents attending high school via an online survey. Survey measures included demographics, functional, interactive, and critical HL, and substance use and obesogenic behavior-related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Pearson correlations and regressions were estimated. RESULTS The relationship between HL and RP, self-efficacy, and behaviors varied by behavior and HL type. Critical HL was related to obesogenic-specific RP and behaviors, while interactive and critical HL were related to self-efficacy. Interactive and critical HL were related to substance use-specific RP and self-efficacy while functional and interactive HL were related to substance use behaviors. HL moderated several RP/behavior and self-efficacy/behavior relationships. CONCLUSIONS The significant relationships between HL and RP and self-efficacy highlight how HL may be an underlying factor or help shape adolescents' perceptions and beliefs adolescents have about behaviors and themselves, which ultimately influence their behaviors. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Adolescent interventions should be assessed to determine what underlying HL skills are needed for behavior change and assess and address HL directly as adolescents with low HL may be at a disadvantage for intervention uptake and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha A Fleary
- Tufts University, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, 574 Boston Ave, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
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Bai X, Yao L, Duan C, Sun X, Niu G. Deviant Peer Affiliation and Adolescent Tobacco and Alcohol Use: The Roles of Tobacco and Alcohol Information Exposure on Social Networking Sites and Digital Literacy. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:bs12120478. [PMID: 36546961 PMCID: PMC9774642 DOI: 10.3390/bs12120478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the prevalence and severe harm of adolescent tobacco and alcohol use, researchers have been paying attention to its influencing factors. From the perspective of the ecological techno-subsystem theory, this study aimed to examine the correlations between deviant peer affiliation, tobacco and alcohol information exposure on social networking sites (SNSs), and adolescent tobacco and alcohol use, as well as the potential protective role of digital literacy. In total, 725 adolescents were recruited to participate in this study. The results showed that deviant peer affiliation was positively associated with adolescent tobacco and alcohol use, SNS tobacco and alcohol information exposure mediated this association, and digital literacy moderated the relationship between SNS information exposure and tobacco and alcohol use. Specifically, the association between SNS tobacco and alcohol information exposure and adolescent tobacco and alcohol use was weaker for those with high digital literacy. These findings not only explore the combined effects of offline and online risk factors but also provide guides for preventing adolescents' tobacco and alcohol use by cultivating and enhancing digital literacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuqing Bai
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Liangshuang Yao
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Changying Duan
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Xiaojun Sun
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China
- Correspondence: (X.S.); (G.N.)
| | - Gengfeng Niu
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China
- Correspondence: (X.S.); (G.N.)
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Herbst RS, Hatsukami D, Acton D, Giuliani M, Moushey A, Phillips J, Sherwood S, Toll BA, Viswanath K, Warren NJH, Warren GW, Alberg AJ. Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems: An Updated Policy Statement from the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:4861-4870. [PMID: 36287033 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-2429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Combustible tobacco use has reached historic lows, demonstrating the importance of proven strategies to reduce smoking since publication of the 1964 Surgeon General's report. In contrast, the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), specifically e-cigarettes, has grown to alarming rates and threatens to hinder progress against tobacco use. A major concern is ENDS use by youth and adults who never previously used tobacco. While ENDS emit fewer carcinogens than combustible tobacco, preliminary evidence links ENDS use to DNA damage and inflammation, key steps in cancer development. Furthermore, high levels of nicotine can also increase addiction, raise blood pressure, interfere with brain development, and suppress the immune system. The magnitude of long-term health risks will remain unknown until longitudinal studies are completed. ENDS have been billed as a promising tool for combustible tobacco cessation, but further evidence is needed to assess their potential efficacy for adults who smoke. Of concern, epidemiological studies estimate that approximately 15% to 42% of adults who use ENDS have never used another tobacco product, and another 36% to 54% "dual use" both ENDS and combustible tobacco. This policy statement details advances in science related to ENDS and calls for urgent action to end predatory practices of the tobacco industry and protect public health. Importantly, we call for an immediate ban on all non-tobacco-flavored ENDS products that contain natural or synthetic nicotine to reduce ENDS use by youth and adults who never previously used tobacco. Concurrently, evidence-based treatments to promote smoking cessation and prevent smoking relapse to reduce cancer incidence and improve public health remain top priorities for our organizations. We also recognize there is an urgent need for research to understand the relationship between ENDS and tobacco-related disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy S Herbst
- Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Dana Acton
- American Association for Cancer Research, Washington, D.C
| | | | - Allyn Moushey
- American Society of Clinical Oncology, Alexandria, Virginia
| | | | | | - Benjamin A Toll
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | | | | | - Graham W Warren
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Anthony J Alberg
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
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Roberts ME, Keller-Hamilton B, Ferketich AK. Testing if attitudes mediate the association between advertising exposure and adolescent tobacco use. Addict Behav 2022; 134:107415. [PMID: 35763986 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A growing body of evidence indicates that exposure to tobacco advertising among adolescents increases the likelihood of subsequent tobacco use. It is important to understand the process by which this occurs, in order to appropriately target factors for intervention. The objective of this study was to test whether attitudes towards tobacco advertising mediates the impact of advertising exposure on tobacco use. METHODS From an ongoing prospective cohort study of male adolescents (aged 11-16 at baseline), we recruited a subset of tobacco users and non-users to participate in an additional ecological momentary assessment (EMA) project (N = 164). Adolescents completed smartphone-based surveys 2-3 times/day over a 10-day period with items assessing their exposures and attitudes towards tobacco-related advertising. If participants reported exposure to tobacco advertising, they were asked about their attitudes toward it (how much they enjoyed it, liked it, and found it appealing). RESULTS Adolescents who reported a greater amount of advertising exposure during the EMA period were more likely to report past-30-day tobacco use at their next cohort follow-up (6-12 months later). Moreover, the impact of advertising exposure on subsequent use was mediated by attitudes toward the tobacco advertisements, as reported during the EMA. This effect remained after controlling for baseline tobacco use. CONCLUSIONS By pairing EMA with long-term follow-up, we identified attitudes as a mediator between adolescent advertising exposure and subsequent tobacco use. Interventions to lessen adolescents' positive attitudes toward tobacco advertisements may help disrupt this impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Roberts
- College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Brittney Keller-Hamilton
- Center for Tobacco Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Amy K Ferketich
- College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Vassey J, Galimov A, Kennedy CJ, Vogel EA, Unger JB. Frequency of Social Media Use and Exposure to Tobacco or Nicotine-Related Content in Association with E-cigarette Use Among Youth: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Survey Analysis. Prev Med Rep 2022; 30:102055. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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30
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Do VV, Nyman AL, Kim Y, Emery SL, Weaver SR, Huang J. Association between E-Cigarette Advertising Exposure and Use of E-Cigarettes among a Cohort of U.S. Youth and Young Adults. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191912640. [PMID: 36231939 PMCID: PMC9566774 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Youth and young adult (YYA) use of e-cigarettes increased rapidly between 2010 and 2019 in the United States, during which exposure to e-cigarette advertising was also increased. We aimed to examine whether exposure to e-cigarette advertising among YYAs may lead to subsequent e-cigarette use. A cohort of 3886 YYAs ages 13-24 was recruited from two survey panels in 2018 and followed up until 2019. Survey data were collected online and by telephone. The primary outcome was past 30-day use of e-cigarettes at the follow-up survey. Among 2304 YYAs who retained at the follow-up survey and were not past 30-day e-cigarette users at baseline, both youth and young adults exposed to e-cigarette advertising at baseline had elevated odds of past 30-day e-cigarette use at follow-up (Youth adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.77, 95% CI: 1.23, 6.24; Young adults aOR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.08, 5.11) compared with those not reporting baseline advertising exposure. The majority of YYAs reported exposure to e-cigarette advertising at baseline (Youth: 63.7%, 95% CI: 59.8, 67.4; Young adults: 58.3%, 95% CI: 53.6, 62.8). Our findings suggest that exposure to e-cigarette advertising was associated with an increase in subsequent past 30-day use of e-cigarettes among YYAs. Restricting advertising targeted at YYAs may reduce the likelihood of e-cigarette use among YYAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vuong V. Do
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Amy L. Nyman
- Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Yoonsang Kim
- NORC at University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Scott R. Weaver
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
- Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Jidong Huang
- Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
- Department of Health Policy & Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
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Risk-Taking Behavior Among Male Adolescents: The Role of Observer Presence and Individual Self-Control. J Youth Adolesc 2022; 51:2161-2172. [PMID: 35861907 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-022-01659-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
A number of studies have focused on the same-sex peer effect on and the developmental difference in adolescent risk-taking in terms of the dual systems model. Little research, however, addresses the effects of different observers, the role of different levels of individual self-control, and their interactions. To fill this gap, the present study examined the main and interactive effects of observer presence and individual self-control on male adolescents' risk-taking behavior with an experimental design. A total of 261 male adolescents (Mage = 15.79 ± 0.79, range = 14-18) completed an adapted Stoplight Task, which measures risk-taking behavior, in the presence of an observer, either peer or adult, either male or female. The results indicated that a same-sex peer's presence and low self-control were both risk factors of male adolescents' risk-taking, but did only low self-control male adolescents take serious risks when in the presence of a same-sex peer whereas those with high self-control consistently had low levels of risk-taking under any condition. An opposite-sex observer, particularly an opposite-sex adult's presence, played a similar protective role for male adolescents with low self-control. The findings suggest that a high level of self-control closely related to the cognitive control system may significantly buffer the negative effect of an adverse social stimulus which activates the social-emotional system on male adolescents' risk-taking; the findings also reveal that an opposite-sex adult's presence may contribute to a decrease in male adolescents' risk-taking by improving their cognitive control system.
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Shamblen SR, Abadi MH, Thompson KT, García-Ramírez G, Richard BO. Changes in the Patterns and Characteristics of Youth ENDS Use over Time. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19138120. [PMID: 35805775 PMCID: PMC9265967 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19138120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Research on youth use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) has explored the correlates of initiation and use; however, little is known about the factors that predict continued youth use of ENDS. We used an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) burst design to explore both daily variability within adolescents over a two-week observation period and variability over time two years later (2018 and 2020). The contribution of device characteristics, motivations for use, contextual factors, and community factors to daily use occasions were explored. Youth participants (n = 35) at the start of the study were past two-week nicotine vapers, 14 to 17 years old, who resided within 100 miles of Louisville, KY, and reported past two-week ENDS use. Close to a quarter of participants ceased all tobacco use two years later, suggesting that some youth, despite prior regular vaping habits, may have only been experimenting with ENDS. The regular continued use of ENDS was predicted by trying to quit using cigarettes, appealing flavors, and being in locations where cigarette use was prohibited. Except for flavors, these factors did not affect ENDS use in year one. These findings suggest that tobacco policy might target ENDS use by prohibiting all tobacco use, including ENDS, in locations where smoking is already banned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R. Shamblen
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, One Riverfront Plaza, Suite 2100, 401 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (M.H.A.); (K.T.T.); (B.O.R.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Melissa H. Abadi
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, One Riverfront Plaza, Suite 2100, 401 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (M.H.A.); (K.T.T.); (B.O.R.)
| | - Kirsten T. Thompson
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, One Riverfront Plaza, Suite 2100, 401 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (M.H.A.); (K.T.T.); (B.O.R.)
| | | | - Bonnie O. Richard
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, One Riverfront Plaza, Suite 2100, 401 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; (M.H.A.); (K.T.T.); (B.O.R.)
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Abbasi Y, Hout MCV, Faragalla M, Itani L. Knowledge and Use of Electronic Cigarettes in Young Adults in the United Arab Emirates, Particularly during the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19137828. [PMID: 35805487 PMCID: PMC9265798 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19137828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: The popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has recently increased. Although they are less harmful than regular cigarettes, they still cause health consequences and their use for smoking cessation is inconclusive. The objective of this study was to evaluate patterns of use, knowledge about, and attitude towards e-cigarettes among youth in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while also researching the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on smoking behavior. (2) Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was distributed across three major universities in the UAE (n = 240) between March and November 2021. Descriptive analysis, comparison across gender and nationality groups, and correlates between 30-day e-cigarette use and self-reported increases in nicotine consumption during the pandemic were studied. (3) Results: About 37% of students had used an e-cigarette in their lifetime, and 23% had smoked e-cigarettes in the past month. During the pandemic, 52% of university students self-reported no change in nicotine consumption, while only 17.5% had reported an increase. The current smoking of regular cigarettes, waterpipe, and medwakh increased the odds of having an increase in smoking during the pandemic by 5.3 times. (4) Conclusions: The findings inform about youth behavior and knowledge about vaping in the UAE and could also support the development of awareness interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasir Abbasi
- Maudsley Health, Dubai 1853, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Marie-Claire Van Hout
- International Public Health Policy and Practice, Research and Knowledge Exchange, Public Health Institute, Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L2 2QP, UK;
| | - Mohamed Faragalla
- Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, Emirates Health Services, Dubai 1853, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Lynn Itani
- Maudsley Health, Dubai 1853, United Arab Emirates;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +971-52-880-5227
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Liu Q, Liang Y, Wang S, Huang Z, Wang Q, Jia M, Li Z, Ming WK. Health Communication through Chinese Media on E-Cigarette: A Topic Modeling Approach. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19137591. [PMID: 35805245 PMCID: PMC9265508 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19137591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Background: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been a newsworthy topic in China. E-cigarettes are receiving greater consumer attention due to the rise of the Chinese e-cigarettes industry. In the past decade, e-cigarettes have been widely debated across the media, particularly their identity and their health effects. Objective: this study aims to (1) find the key topics in e-cigarette news and (2) provide suggestions for future media strategies to improve health communication. Method: We collected Chinese e-cigarettes news from 1 November 2015 to 31 October 2020, in the Huike (WiseSearch) database, using “e-cigarettes” (Chinese: “电子烟”) as the keyword. We used the Jieba package in python to perform the data cleaning process and the Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling method to generate major themes of the health communication through news content. Main finding: through an analysis of 1584 news articles on e-cigarettes, this paper finds 26 topics covered with 4 themes as regulations and control (n = 475, 30%), minor protection (n = 436, 27.5%), industry activities (n = 404, 25.5%), and health effects (n = 269, 17%). The peak and decline of the number of news articles are affected by time and related regulations. Conclusion: the main themes of Chinese news content on e-cigarettes are regulations and control, and minor protection. Newspapers should shoulder the responsibilities and play an important role in health communication with balanced coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Liu
- School of Journalism and Communication, National Media Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center (Jinan University), Jinan University, No. 601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou 510632, China; (Q.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (M.J.); (Z.L.)
| | - Yu Liang
- School of Journalism and Communication, National Media Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center (Jinan University), Jinan University, No. 601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou 510632, China; (Q.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (M.J.); (Z.L.)
| | - Siyi Wang
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No. 601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou 510632, China; (S.W.); (Z.H.)
| | - Zhongguo Huang
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No. 601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou 510632, China; (S.W.); (Z.H.)
| | - Qing Wang
- School of Journalism and Communication, National Media Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center (Jinan University), Jinan University, No. 601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou 510632, China; (Q.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (M.J.); (Z.L.)
| | - Miaoyutian Jia
- School of Journalism and Communication, National Media Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center (Jinan University), Jinan University, No. 601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou 510632, China; (Q.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (M.J.); (Z.L.)
| | - Zihang Li
- School of Journalism and Communication, National Media Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center (Jinan University), Jinan University, No. 601, West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou 510632, China; (Q.L.); (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (M.J.); (Z.L.)
| | - Wai-Kit Ming
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, To Yuen Building, 31 To Yuen Street, Hong Kong, China
- Correspondence:
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East K, Reid JL, Burkhalter R, Wackowski OA, Thrasher JF, Tattan-Birch H, Boudreau C, Bansal-Travers M, Liber AC, McNeill A, Hammond D. Exposure to negative news stories about vaping, and harm perceptions of vaping, among youth in England, Canada, and the US before and after the outbreak of E-cigarette or Vaping-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). Nicotine Tob Res 2022; 24:1386-1395. [PMID: 35368062 PMCID: PMC9356695 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntac088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Little is known about the international impact of E-cigarette or Vaping-Associated Lung Injury (‘EVALI’) on youth perceptions of vaping harms. Methods Repeat cross-sectional online surveys of youth aged 16–19 years in England, Canada, and the United States before (2017, 2018), during (2019 August/September), and after (2020 February/March, 2020 August) the ‘EVALI’ outbreak (N = 63380). Logistic regressions assessed trends, country differences, and associations between exposure to negative news stories about vaping and vaping harm perceptions. Results Exposure to negative news stories increased between 2017 and February–March 2020 in England (12.6% to 34.2%), Canada (16.7% to 56.9%), and the United States (18.0% to 64.6%), accelerating during (2019) and immediately after (February–March 2020) the outbreak (p < .001) before returning to 2019 levels by August 2020. Similarly, the accurate perception that vaping is less harmful than smoking declined between 2017 and February–March 2020 in England (77.3% to 62.2%), Canada (66.3% to 43.3%), and the United States (61.3% to 34.0%), again accelerating during and immediately after the outbreak (p < .001). The perception that vaping takes less than a year to harm users’ health and worry that vaping will damage health also doubled over this period (p ≤ .001). Time trends were most pronounced in the United States. Exposure to negative news stories predicted the perception that vaping takes less than a year to harm health (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.55, 1.48-1.61) and worry that vaping will damage health (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.32, 1.18-1.48). Conclusions Between 2017 and February–March 2020, youth exposure to negative news stories, and perceptions of vaping harms, increased, and increases were exacerbated during and immediately after ‘EVALI’. Effects were seen in all countries but were most pronounced in the United States. Implications This is the first study examining changes in exposure to news stories about vaping, and perceptions of vaping harms, among youth in England, Canada, and the United States before, during, and after ‘EVALI’. Between 2017 and February–March 2020, youth exposure to negative news stories, and perceptions of vaping harms, increased, and increases were exacerbated during and immediately after ‘EVALI’. By August 2020, exposure to negative news stories returned to 2019 levels, while perceptions of harm were sustained. Exposure to negative news stories also predicted two of the three harm perception measures. Overall, findings suggest that ‘EVALI’ may have exacerbated youth’s perceptions of vaping harms internationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine East
- School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.,National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jessica L Reid
- School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robin Burkhalter
- School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Olivia A Wackowski
- School of Public Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, NJ, USA
| | - James F Thrasher
- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Harry Tattan-Birch
- Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christian Boudreau
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maansi Bansal-Travers
- Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Alex C Liber
- Cancer Prevention and Control, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ann McNeill
- National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - David Hammond
- School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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Dashtian H, Murthy D, Kong G. An Exploration of e-Cigarette-Related Search Items on YouTube: Network Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24:e30679. [PMID: 35084353 PMCID: PMC8832267 DOI: 10.2196/30679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background e-Cigarette use among youth is high, which may be due in part to pro–e-cigarette content on social media such as YouTube. YouTube is also a valuable resource for learning about e-cigarette use, trends, marketing, and e-cigarette user perceptions. However, there is a lack of understanding on how similar e-cigarette–related search items result in similar or relatively mutually exclusive search results. This study uses novel methods to evaluate the relationship between e-cigarette–related search items and results. Objective The aim of this study is to apply network modeling and rule-based classification to characterize the relationships between e-cigarette–related search items on YouTube and gauge the level of importance of each search item as part of an e-cigarette information network on YouTube. Methods We used 16 fictitious YouTube profiles to retrieve 4201 distinct videos from 18 keywords related to e-cigarettes. We used network modeling to represent the relationships between the search items. Moreover, we developed a rule-based classification approach to classify videos. We used betweenness centrality (BC) and correlations between nodes (ie, search items) to help us gain knowledge of the underlying structure of the information network. Results By modeling search items and videos as a network, we observed that broad search items such as e-cig had the most connections to other search items, and specific search items such as cigalike had the least connections. Search items with similar words (eg, vape and vaping) and search items with similar meaning (eg, e-liquid and e-juice) yielded a high degree of connectedness. We also found that each node had 18 (SD 34.8) connections (common videos) on average. BC indicated that general search items such as electronic cigarette and vaping had high importance in the network (BC=0.00836). Our rule-based classification sorted videos into four categories: e-cigarette devices (34%-57%), cannabis vaping (16%-28%), e-liquid (14%-37%), and other (8%-22%). Conclusions Our findings indicate that search items on YouTube have unique relationships that vary in strength and importance. Our methods can not only be used to successfully identify the important, overlapping, and unique e-cigarette–related search items but also help determine which search items are more likely to act as a gateway to e-cigarette–related content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Dashtian
- The Computational Media Lab and School of Journalism and Media, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Dhiraj Murthy
- The Computational Media Lab and School of Journalism and Media, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Grace Kong
- The Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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Han J, Zheng X, Shen B, Sun S. Nonsmokers' Responses to Online E-Cigarette Commercials: Effects of Argument Quantity and Celebrity Endorsement Paper Resubmitted to Substance Use and Misuse. Subst Use Misuse 2022; 57:948-955. [PMID: 35306949 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2022.2052101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: With mounting evidence on health risks caused by e-cigarette consumption, it is of great necessity to explore not only smokers' but also nonsmokers' responses to e-cigarette marketing messages, such as online commercials. Employing both psychophysiological and self-report measures, this study examined nonsmoking young adults' cognitive, emotional, and attitudinal reactions to two major message features used in e-cigarette commercials: argument quantity and endorsement type. Method: The experiment used a 2 (endorsement type: celebrity and average citizen) × 2 (argument quantity: low and high) × 2 (message repetition) within-subjects design. Continuous heart rate (indicative of attention) and skin conductance activity (indicative of emotional arousal) were measured during ads viewing. Self-reported ad liking and vaping urge were assessed immediately after participants finished watching each commercial. Results: Results showed that compared to high argument quantity, low argument quantity elicited more attention, evoked higher emotional arousal, and generated stronger ad liking and vaping urge. Additionally, compared to average-citizen endorsement, the presence of celebrity endorsement elicited higher attention and lower emotional arousal in nonsmoking young adults. There was a significant interaction effect of endorsement type and argument quantity on ad liking. Conclusions: For nonsmoking young adults, low argument quantity commercials might have the greatest impact in initiating vaping behavior, which has implications for regulatory policies regarding e-cigarette. Celebrity endorsement was effective in catching nonsmokers' attention but had limited effects on emotional involvement and product adoption. The implications of the findings were finally discussed in more details in the manuscript.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Han
- Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute for Global Communications and Integrated Media
| | - Xia Zheng
- The Media School, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Bin Shen
- Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute for Global Communications and Integrated Media
| | - Shaojing Sun
- Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institute for Global Communications and Integrated Media
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